Risk Assessment and Treatment
We focus on the prevention and treatment of sexual and family violence perpetrators and victims, emphasising risk assessment and understanding treatment needs. Our applied mixed-methods research utilises both qualitative and quantitative approaches, including experimental and quasi-experimental techniques.
Forensic Decision-Making
Our research investigates how forensic science practitioners make decisions in their work, aiming to improve training and selection methods to enhance professional performance. We explore the psychological processes behind how forensic practitioners evaluate evidence in difference disciplines, like fingerprint and face-matching.
Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
We lead initiatives aimed at preventing child sexual abuse, developing therapeutic services for individuals who experience attraction to minors (e.g.,听). Our research includes assessing and rehabilitating sexual offending risk, focusing on practical implications for clinical practice.
Bethany Growns听听| Researcher
Dr. Bethany Growns focuses on understanding how forensic science practitioners make crucial decisions. She investigates the psychology behind evidence evaluation to enhance training and performance.
Contact: Bethany.growns@canterbury.ac.nz
Jacinta Cording | Researcher
Dr. Jacinta Cording's research centres on preventing and treating sexual and family violence, focusing on risk assessment and treatment needs for both perpetrators and victims of violence. She also regularly conducts process and impact evaluations of criminal justice sector programmes.
Contact: Jacinta.cording@canterbury.ac.nz
Sarah Christofferson | Associate Professor
A/Prof. Sarah Christofferson leads research on child sexual abuse prevention and therapeutic services for at-risk individuals. She consults with agencies to inform clinical practices aimed at preventing sexual offending.
Doug Carroll
Innovations in child sexual abuse prevention: The role of pre-emptive treatment among minor-attracted persons.
Tamara Smolinski
From correlates to factors to mechanisms: Understanding the mechanisms that promote desistance from sexual offending.
Sarah Telfar
Predicting and preventing maladjustment in Aotearoa New 蜜桃儿直播 prisons.
Ashley Curtis
Mapping the Chronophilia: Investigating age-specific sexual preferences and their implications.
Oliver Ploeg
Body disposal patterns in New 蜜桃儿直播 homicide offences
Michaela Sibbald听
Child sexual exploitation material use in New 蜜桃儿直播: An exploration of prevalence, user characteristics, and preventative policies.
We welcome students, researchers, and those interested in criminal justice and community psychology to engage with our work. Whether you're looking to collaborate, contribute to ongoing studies, or simply learn more about our research, your involvement is highly valued.
Join Our Studies:
Participate in our research and help us advance the understanding of psychological dynamics in the criminal justice system. Engage in experiments and surveys designed to explore complex issues.
Super Matcher Test:
Are you a super-matcher? Our research has shown that there are people with an extraordinary ability to compare or 鈥渕atch鈥 complex visual patterns 鈥 something that forensic scientists train for many years to do. We have discovered that there are people in the world that are naturally gifted in this ability. Find out if you are a super-matcher by taking our test! You can also join our to sign up to participate in more tests!
Explore our latest research publications that offer detailed insights into criminal justice and community psychology.
Growns, B., Dunn, J.D, Helm, R, Mattijssen, E,J.A.T, Towler, A. & Martire, K.A. (2024). Jack of all trades, Master of one: domain-specific and domain-general contributions to perceptual expertise in visual comparison. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications.
Ploeg, O. H., Grace, R. C., & Cording, J. R. (2024). Sexual homicide: a descriptive analysis of demographics, behaviour, and body disposal in New 蜜桃儿直播. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 1-17.
Cording, J., Faasen, K., Carter, M. (2024). Children鈥檚 Services Flexi Fund: Phase 2 evaluation report. Wellington, NZ Police. Available from: https://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/childrens-services-flexi-fund-evaluation-fund-report-allen-clarke-phase-2-31-jan-2024.pdf.听
Growns, B., Towler, A., & Martire, K.A. (2024). The novel object-matching test (NOM Test): a psychometric measure of visual comparison ability. Behavior Research Methods, 56, 680-689.
Growns, B., Kukucka, J., & Helm, R.K. (2024). The Post Office Scandal in the United Kingdom: mental health and social experiences of wrongfully convicted and wrongfully accused individuals. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 29, 17-31.
Martire, K.A., Bell, P.F., Chin, J.M., David, C., Edmond, G., Growns, B.,... Ballantyne, K.N. (2024). Understanding 'error' in the forensic sciences: A primer. Forensic Science International: Synergy, 8, 1-7.
Ploeg, O. H. J., Mehigan, J., Grace, R. C., & Cording, J. R. (2024). Murder or manslaughter: the role of premeditation and associated behavioural characteristics. Psychology, Crime & Law, 1鈥24. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2024.2405678
Growns, B., Mattijssen, J.A.T., Salerno, J., Schweitzer, N., Cole, S., & Martire, K.A. (2023). Finding the perfect match: Fingerprint expertise facilitates statistical learning and visual comparison decision-making. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 29(2), 386-397.
Helm, R.K., Growns, B., & Wilson-Kovacs, D. (2023). Digital evidence in defence practice: prevalence, challenges, and expertise. International Journal of Evidence and Proof, 27(3), 169-256.
Kereama, J., Studdart, T., Cording, J., & Carter, M. (2023). Reducing youth reoffending in South Auckland social bond pilot: Qualitative outcomes evaluation. Wellington: Oranga Tamariki. Available from: .
Nolan, T., Willis, G. M., Thornton, D., Kelley, S. M., & Beggs Christofferson, S. M. (2023). Attending to the positive: A retrospective validation of the Structured Assessment of Protective Factors-Sexual Offence Version. Sexual Abuse, 35(2), 241-260.
Chin, J, Growns, B., Sebastian, J., Page, M.J. & Nakagawa, S. (2022). The transparency and reproducibility of systematic reviews in forensic science. Forensic Science International, 340, 1-11.
Growns, B., Dunn, J.D., Helm, R., Towler, A., & Kukucka, J. (2022). The low prevalence effect in fingerprint comparison amongst forensic science trainees and novices. PLOS One, 1-14.
Growns, B., Dunn, J.D., Mattijssen, J.A.T., Quigley-McBride, A. & Towler, A. (2022). Match me if you can: evidence for a domain-general visual comparison ability. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 29(3), 1-16.
Growns, B., Towler, A., Dunn, J.D., Salerno, J., Schweitzer, N. & Dror, I. (2022). Statistical feature training improves novice and expert fingerprint comparison performance. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 7, 1-21.
Helm, R.K & Growns, B. (2022). Prevalence estimates as priors: juror characteristics, perceived base rates, and verdicts in cases reliant on complainant and defendant testimony. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 1-14.
Olver, M. E., Thornton, D., & Beggs Christofferson, S. M. (2022). Understanding the latent structure of dynamic risk: Seeking empirical constraints on theory development using the VRS-SO and the theory of dynamic risk. Sexual Abuse, 34(2), 227-254.
Ward, T., Arrigo, B., Barnao, M., Beech, A., Brown, D. A., Cording, J., ... & Taxman, F. (2022). Urgent issues and prospects in correctional rehabilitation practice and research. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 27(2), 103-128.
To find out more about our members, what they are up, or to get in contact please visit their profiles below!
Phone:听+64 (03)听3692560
Internal phone:听92560
Email
Forensic Psychology Lab
School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing
蜜桃儿直播
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140
New 蜜桃儿直播
